Match report from the last time Meath and Clare meet in the NFL Division 2. It was Meath's first home game in the 2018 campaign - Sunday February 4th.

A second-half transformation saw Meath ease to a triple scores round two win over Clare at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon.

Meath .... 0-21

Clare ..... 0-7

The Royals first win of the campaign was secured with 15 second-half points while the visitors managed just three in the same time.

In very good conditions for the time of year, Meath posted 21 scores with subs contributing 0-6 to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.

A limited Clare side - who drew with Cavan first time out - were just two points off the pace at the break. That may have had something to do with the number of Clare scoring efforts that dropped into the arms of Andy Colgan.

Meath might have won by an even wider margin had they taken both goals chances that came their way. 

Gary Brennan - Clare captain and top scorer - posted the first point of the second half to cut the gap to the minimum.

Meath hit back with seven points on the spin to lead by eight midway through the half and flatline the contest.

Padraig McKeever topscored for Meath with seven points (four frees) while Graham Reilly finished with four from play.

Some Meath second-half scores were top drawer efforts including a brace from sub Eamon Wallace, one with each foot.

Sean Tobin's final quarter cameo produced two points (including a 45).

James McEntee's work rate on the right flank of the attack was a feature of the Royals' victory while wing-back Brian Conlon gratefully availed of acres of space on the same flank.

Clare finished with 14-men following Cian O'Dea's 65th minute dismissal on receipt of a black card following an earlier yellow.

Next up for Meath is trip to Cavan (who drew with Clare first time out) on Saturday night. Clare host Tipperary next Sunday.

In stark contrast to the second-half, the opening quarter yielded just two scores. Graham Reilly's opener for Meath was countered by a Killian Roche (45) for Clare in the 14th minute.

Meath were never headed in the opening 35 minutes while the scores tied four times. Seven Royal County shots in a calm first-half dropped into arms of Clare 'keeper Roche. Clare had just two such shortcomings in the same phase of the game.

The only two goal chances of the opening period fell to Meath. Graham Reilly fluffed the first at the town goal in the opening seconds. Adam Flanagan didn't make the most of a 12th minute opportunity when losing possession close to goal.

From a Meath perspective Reilly's trio of points was the highlight of a poor first-half. Meath's Brian Power picked up a yellow card for a strong challenge on Cillian Brennan 10 minutes in.

Clare posted five first-half wides, one more than Meath. There number of wides was just one short of the number of scores before the sides retreated to the dressing rooms.

Meath closed the half with a brace of points. Reilly's third (with assistance from captain Bryan Menton) was followed by one from Bryan McMahon in the last act of the half to leave Royals ahead by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Meath - Andy Colgan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Donal Keogan; Brian Conlon, Brian Power, Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton (C), Adam Flanagan; James McEntee (0-3), Padraig McKeever (0-7, 4fs), Graham Reilly (0-4); Joey Wallace, Cillian O'Sullivan, Bryan McMahon (0-2). Subs - Eamon Wallace (0-3) for J Wallace (32), Daniel O'Neill for Power (ht), Sean Tobin (0-2, 1 45) for McMahon (53), Caolach Halligan for Reilly (61), Ben Brennan for O'Sullivan (62), Shane Glynn for Keogan (64).

Clare - Killian Roche (0-1 45); Cian O'Dea, Cillian Brennan, Gordon Kelly; Jamie Malone (0-1), Ciaran Russell, Pearse Lillis (0-1); Gary Brennan (C) (0-3, 1 f), Cathal O'Connor; Aaron Fitzgerald, Eoin Cleary, Gearoid O'Brien; Conor Finucane, Keelan Sexton, Eibhin Courtney. Subs - Eoghan Collins for C Brennan (15), Alan Sweeney for Finucane (22), Sean O'Donoghue for Courtney (45), David Tubridy (0-1 f) for G O'Brien (59), Michael O'Leary for Cleary (66).

Referee - Sean Hurson (Tyrone).

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